Max's SOS! Allegri warns leaky Napoli must fix leaky defence or face Roma derby disaster
Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri called for defensive improvements ahead of Saturday's Serie A clash against unbeaten Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Allegri urged his players to find tactical balance following a patchy start to their domestic campaign.
Allegri rallies Napoli ahead of high-stakes Derby del Sole
Napoli return to domestic action on Saturday evening to host unbeaten Roma at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Massimiliano Allegri's side enter Matchday 8 sitting on 10 points from seven matches, seeking consistency following a shock defeat to Venezia and a wild 4-3 midweek Champions League victory over Bodo/Glimt.
Having suffered three league defeats already this season, Napoli face pressure to protect an eight-match unbeaten home streak in Serie A against the Giallorossi.
"Tomorrow we’ve got an important match against a team who've been performing well since last season," Allegri told reporters. "It’s a high-stakes encounter, but it’s not going to make or break the campaign."
Manager demands defensive discipline to halt leaky run
Focusing on tactical deficiencies, Allegri highlighted off-the-ball organization as Napoli's primary area for growth. "Where we most need to improve is in our off-the-ball approach to the game," Allegri asserted. "We’ve got to get better in that regard and show that we can be stronger and more resolute."
"As for us, we need to improve, especially at the back. We’re letting in too many goals and we need to tighten things up."
"It would mean a lot if we found some balance, because that could help us go on a good run," the Italian manager added.
Allegri praises Gasperini's high-tempo Roma machine
Allegri acknowledged the challenge posed by Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who have accumulated 17 points without losing a league match this term. "We know how good the opposition are and how much they’ve improved over time," Allegri observed. "Gasperini is doing an excellent job, and the team is full of quality and passion."
"It’s sure to be a very intense match, because Gasperini’s teams play high-tempo football. We’ll need to be ready to deal with a lot of energy."
Allegri also provided squad news regarding key midfielders: "We’re gradually welcoming some key players back into the fold, such as McTominay and Anguissa, but they’re not quite ready for a full 90 minutes yet."
Partenopei aim to kickstart campaign at Maradona
With Roma keeping clean sheets in all three of their away league fixtures so far, Napoli must find clinical efficiency in attack to break down the visitors.
A victory at home would elevate Napoli closer to the European places and ease pressure on Allegri's position.
Napoli host Roma at 18:00 CEST on Saturday evening in Naples.
